Card index



'Nov.20,1928. 1,692,140

J. L. ROWLEY CARD INDEX Filed May 14, 1927 10$ J9 2 10 T r r 0 CARD N0 CAM Menu"? no. 5 Q70 1 w CARD N0 9 ACCOUNT N0 n? a Wcoumr no ifl 5.078 220 CARD N0 '1 mourn uox/ no 5O 76 (ARI) N0 5 ACCOUNT N0 5 O 7 5 M 5072 ll I M M fizz/61410;" I 'JZmeJ [n Wow/e Fatented Nov. 20, 1928.

STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EAMES L. EOWLEY, OF MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR To SHAW-WALKER GOM- PANY, 0F MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

CARD INDEX.

Application filed May 14 This invention relates to improvements in card indexes, and more particularly to visible index cards for use with accounting or bookkeeping machines, and has for its principal object to produce a improved form and construction especially adapted to be handled without injury to the projecting tabs, and especially to withstand the relatively hard usage and destruction caused by inserting the cards in the rolls of accounting or bookkeeping machines.

The invention may best be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in Which Figure l is a face view of a group of index cards constructed in accordance with my invention, and shown in normal position as they appear in a file.

Figure 2 is a View similar to Figure 1, but with the cards spread apart vertically so as to show the arrangement of the several index tabs.

As heretofore constructed, card indexes have been provided with a series of visible tabs, bearing suitableindicia, and projecting at varying points above the level of the main body of the card in the file. Such tabs have usually been relatively short in length, and owing to their irregular or varying positions along the edges of their respective cards, the latter tend to become damaged or torn off when fed repeatedly into the rollers of accounting or bookkeeping machines, or when the cards are placed endwise with the index tabs abutting the sides of the guideways or similar card-aligning means, under which conditions, the cards often become tilted or otherwise improperly placed in the guide- Ways. Furthermore, the projecting tabs soon become bent, worn, or otherwise damaged after repeated use, with the result that such cards soon become useless.

In carrying out my invention, I provide the series of index cards 1, 1, with two sets of relatively wide tabs 10 and 20 disposed at opposite ends of the upstandingmargins of said cards so that each card always has substantial end-bearing edges at both upper corners thereof. The diflerential indicia are disposed in series between these corner tabs, 10 and 20 by means of a series of extensions 11, 12, 13, etc., from one or the other of the corner tabs 10 and 20, said extensions projecting inwardly from their respective corner tab at series of card index tabs of 1927. Serial No. 191,290.

uniform height, but at varying distances, and

The first card of each 5070, a multiple preferably apof the end tabs 10 or 20, herein being shownon the left-hand corner tab 10. This number is also indicated in much smaller type, on a projection 10' extending inwardly from one of the corner tabs, herein the index consisting of the last digit of the card number, (0) applied to projection 1O forming a continuation of the corner tab 10. The next succeeding card, number 5071 has a tab 11, also formed as a continuation of its left-hand corner tab 10, but slightly longer-than the overlapping projection 10 of the preceding cards. The proper digit numeral (1) appears visibly on this projection, as shown. Similarly, the succeeding cards have tabs 12, 13, 14, etc., each bearing their respective digit indicia in numerical order. However, I find it preferable to arrange at least one of the highest digit indicia tabs of each series integral with the righthand end tab 20, instead of the left-hand end tab 10, so that the next successive group or series of tabs will be readily visible. In. the form shown, representing the last card in the series is thus arranged. It ismanifest that between the end positions, the indicia tabs may form continuations from either corner tab 10 or 20, as desired. Y

It will now be clear from the above description that my improved form of indicia, presents a' series of cards in which the indicating tabs are protected from injury during use, and which can readily be fed endwise between machine rollers, or be set and maintained properly in retaining guideways, ow-

lng to the relatively wide sets of corner tabs by the decimal system, so that the in made up of groups or series consisting tab 19 bearing the numeral 9 10 and 20 on each card which present substantial end-surfaces at both corners for this purpose. The intermediate indicia tabs are protected from injury, being always integral with one set of corner tabs and at the same level as the opposite set of corner tabs. Thus .a group of cards so constructed presents a substantially rectangular body for most convenient handling, either manually or when used in a bookkeeping machine or the like.

While I have described and illustrated one particular embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that I do not wish to be limited to the exact construction shown and described, but that various changes and modifications may be made Without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. In a card index, a series of cards each having relatively wide tabs of uniform height at the two opposite corners of one upstanding margin, and indicia visibly carried on a series of continuous projections extending inwardly at varying lengths and uniform height from one of said corner tabs.

2. In a card index, a series of cards each having relatively wide tabs of uniform height at the two opposite corners of one upstanding margin, and indicia visibly carried on a series of continuous projections extending inwardly at varying lengths and uniform height from one of said corner tabs, the distance between the successive positions of said indicia between said corner tabs being less than the width of said corner tabs.

3. In a card index, a seriesof cards each having relatively wide tabs of uniform height at the two opposite corners of one upstanding margin, card-number indicia carried on one set of said corner tabs, and single-digit indicia visibly carried on a series of continuous projections extending inwardly at varying length and uniform height from one set of said corner tabs. I

4:. In a card index, a series of cards each having relatively wide tabs of uniform height at the two opposite corners of one upstanding margin, card-number indicia carried on one set of corner tabs, and single digit indicia corresponding to the last numeral of each respective card number index visibly carried on a series of continuous projections extending inwardly at varying lengths and uniform height from one of said sets of corner tabs.

Si ned at Muskegon, Mich., this 6th day of Ma 1927.

JAMES L. ROWLEY. 

